Man with No Equals

 Baba Saheb - Man With No Equals

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“The man standing mighty holding the Constitution of India” is the figure that dawn on our mind as we come across the name  Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R Ambedkar. Popularized as the father of Indian Constitution, Ambedkar had a political as well as intellectual life brimming with pious political motive and a soulful quest to inculcate his fellow beings with humanity. Nonetheless, Ambedkar’s identity has strangely been restricted within a stereotypical profile as the Messiah of the Dalits in India. His immense contributions in the field of Economics and his exemplar personality as a true legislator, Feminst thinker have never been channelized into discussions so often that, his conspicuous absence in mainstream literature and history, often begs a question. 

Born in 14th April 1891, as the last child of Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai Sakpal in a Mahr family, Ambedkar had an upbringing unusual from that of other children in his community. At an early age itself, his father realised his appetite for knowledge and supported him with his meagre income. Further, Ambedkar’s intellectual pursuits were sponsored by the Maharaja of Baroda, who was greatly impressed by his intellect and passion for academics. Armed with a double doctorate in Economics from the prestigious Columbia University in the US and the London School of Economics, Ambedkar’s profound academic background was used by him for instrumenting policies that catered to the welfare of the common man in India.

Ambedkar and his quotes

Ambedkar’s vision for an egalitarian society; where all individuals are treated equally, emerges from having had a profound academic background and a cosmopolitan outlook towards life. B.R Ambedkar’s contributions in building a stable Socio-Economic foundation for India, are unparalleled and exceptional, aiding even in the formulation of present day economic and social policies. It is an injustice to reduce Ambedkar to his immediate identity and deny him his rightful position in Indian Society. More often than not such a multifaceted life was reduced to one or two aspect of his rich and fulfilling life, namely his sustained effort towards upliftment of Dalits and his contributions towards framing of Constitution of India.  . 

But in the 21st Century, something tangible is happening. Ambedkar remerges with vigour and vitality and his thoughts and writings are finding new followers. An Ambedkar consciousness is awakening in our universities, in minds of men and women, who are finding constitutional morality vastly at odds with social morality. The nation is rightly rediscovering Ambedkar and his missions and it is our duty to push the Ambedkar caravan ahead…for a better egalitarian future. This article, aims to throw light into rediscovering an unexplored Ambedkar, with a purpose of initiating an intellectual discourse, where the often-neglected dimensions of Ambedkar, as a renowned Economist, Policy Maker, Feminist thinker are put to discussion. 

An Economist of unparalleled originality

“Ambedkar is my Father in Economics……His contribution in the field of economics is marvelous and will be remembered forever….” 

[Professor Amartya Sen, 6th Indian Nobel Laureate(year)]

Ambedkar’s prowess as an economist of originality can be recognized from the above-mentioned statement by Prof. Amartya Sen. He had a profound understanding of the reasons behind the deep-seated problems that affected the socio-economic environment of Indian Society. All his writings were related to the contemporary problems and they were rich in content and were closely linked with interconnected disciplines. Ambedkar was critical of the Indian social structure that was built on the concept of caste system. Being an academician who got global exposure, he vehemently argued against archaic ideologies that propagated casteism in the Indian soil. In his intellectual discourse “Annihilation of Caste”, Ambedkar strongly opines that true economic development cannot stand in isolation from an established pillar of social democracy. In fact, “Annihilation of Caste” is a constructive critique against certain societal structures that prohibited the growth of Indian economy. His well-versed knowledge about Indian myths and scriptures, prompted his scientific temper to open a discussion on Caste and its intangible ideologies that penetrated deeply within the Indian psyche. According to him, the ideologies of Caste promulgated the concept of Graded inequality in a society, which prevented an individual’s upward mobility in a social ladder. This resulted in contingent poverty, whereby, an individual belonging to the lowest rung of caste structure is denied his basic right to acquire capital and power. Ambedkar thoroughly criticized such injustices and devoted his life to fight for justice and equality.

Ambedkar believed in shaping administrative policies that would ease governance and thereby profit the common man. India being an agrarian economy, Ambedkar’s views on agriculture is worth pointing out, where he voiced in favored the nationalization of land whereby, the exploitation of the poor farmers could be averted. Further, he opined that population growth and disguised unemployment resulted in the lack of productivity in India. His support for industrialization back then could be seen as measure to increase productivity and modernize Indian economy. He was instrumental in bringing about several agrarian reforms to benefit the poor farmers.

Being a country as vast and diverse as ours with uneven socio economic resources, Ambedkar perceived the importance of having a sound fiscal relationship between the Centre and State to be the backbone of cohesive federal polity. According to him, good administration depends on good finance, for finance is the fuel to the whole administrative machine. With this view in his mind, he laid foundation to the idea of setting up a Finance Commission in India. His vision of sharing collective responsibility between the Centre-State and his ideas of better democratic institution remains relevant even today. One of his theses, “The problem of Rupee- its origin and its solution” became the guiding tool for the RBI Act 1934 and the other “Provincial decentralization of Imperial Finance in British India” later paved way for the establishment of a strong Centre-State fiscal relationship, that persists today in our country.

People Centered Policy Maker

In 1945, while discussing the functions of Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Ambedkar pointed out the importance of judicious spending of public fund. He argued that the money which was collected from the common man in the form of tax must be spent keeping in view the rules and regulations binding public expenditure. Thus, he favored for an economy which should thrive on faithfulness, transparency and wisdom. His principles on expenditure of public fund are known as Ambedkar’s Canon of Public Expenditure.

Ambedkar’s path to modernity was envisaged on the concept of providing free access to utilities without discrimination. Under his stellar leadership, Central Water Commission and Central Electricity Authority was convened, to study the optimal use of resources in India. He formulated his vision for water projects keeping in mind the Tennessee Valley scheme of USA. It was Ambedkar   who was behind the idea of building the first multipurpose river valley project known as “Damodar Valley Project”.  As part of National water policy, his objective was to control floods in surrounding regions and help farmers through irrigation. His initiative laid foundation to building Bhakra-Nagal Dam in Punjab which is the highest gravity dam, Hirakud Dam (longest major earthen dam) and Sone river valley project.  

In his short spell as a Labour Member of Viceroy’s Executive Council from 1942 to 1946, Ambedkar championed for introducing several welfare and social security measures protecting the interest of the working class. He was pivotal in establishment of the Employment Exchange and argued for the machinery for fixation of minimum remuneration, fixation of working hours from 12 to 8 etc. The Indian Trade Union Amendment Act, The Factories Act, The Payment of Wage Act, The Coal Mines Safety Amendment Bill 1944, The Coal Mines Provident Fund and Bonus Scheme Act, 1948 saw light under his stewardship.

As a Feminist Thinker

Ambedkar identified women as equal and capable of bringing potent socio-economic changes in a society. With his legal prowess, he framed laws protecting the interest of women who remained subservient to the patriarchal norms of the society and gave them legal insights to break from the bondage of patriarchy. He embarked on a legal journey battling against the wrongs of the society, which led him to draft bills specifically safeguarding the rights of women. In 1928, he was instrumental in placing the Maternity Benefit Bill in Bombay legislative Assembly.  He urged women to have equal rights to property and a committee was setup under his leadership, to study the Hindu Code Bill which encompassed matters regarding equal right to property, orders of succession among different heirs to property of a deceased, maintenance, marriage and divorce. 

His journals “Mook Nayak” and “Bahiskrit Bharat” opened an independent space for women writers to discuss the plight of women in India and for echoing their voice for a dignified social status. As a law minister in British India, Ambedkar pushed for legislation on family planning and took measures for the enactment of Universal adult franchise for women in India, thereby providing a fundamental right for women to take political decisions. Ambedkar followed the path of Savitri Phule who pioneered the Indian feminist movements and advocated for the importance of imparting education to women. 

The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, embodies his understanding of women empowerment in Indian context. This revolutionary jurisprudence gave women the right to divorce and maintenance in some cases, the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, which gave women the right to inherit family property, the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956, which allowed them to legally adopt a child etc. In charting the history of women empowerment in India, Ambedkar’s role was not limited to armchair activism. He ensured that both at government and legal space, measures are enacted to safeguard the interest of women. His view on developing a collective, fraternal organization that is led and managed by women- promoting education, creating self- awareness on social issues, is critical in transforming Indian Society. 

As a Constitutionalist

When the British left India in 1947, one of the major issues faced by the political leaders in India was the making of a constitution. Most of the powerful and Independent nations of the world functioned on a fulcrum of laws, designed specifically in their socio-political-economic interest. India being in a nascent form of its political imagination, it was important, to have a book of law for its governance. Dr. B R Ambedkar’s name was collectively suggested by the Constituent Assembly of India, for drafting the Indian Constitution, owing to his immense wisdom in Political governance and his cogent understanding of the matters of law governing Nations and Nature. Thus on 29 August 1947, he was elected chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution.

This legal luminary laid the stones of constitutional road map for India, sowing seeds of Justice, Equality, Liberty and Fraternity on its either sides with a hope that they will thrive well in Indian Soil. He broke the obstructionist and archaic laws of the land and tried to shape the course of Modern India, infusing the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity as cohesive whole in pushing the constitutional goals of Socio- Economic- Political justice. His insight into the contradictions that exists in our society and the importance of cultivating a constitutional morality in the minds of its citizens could be realised through his own words that “Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment. It has to be cultivated. We must realise that our people have yet to learn it. Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.” 

Indian Constitution is not just a book of law steering the administration of India, but it is a social contract by the people, of the people and for the people of India, keeping in mind that their fundamental rights as citizens of this country remains safeguarded. Article 32, of the Constitution gives judicial respite when our constitutionally guaranteed rights are being denied and where the social contract between ‘we the people of India’ is infringed. Rightfully considered as the “Soul of the Constitution”, this article in itself is one of the greatest contributions of  Dr. B R Ambedkar, as the Captain who steered the wheels of the drafting committee of Indian Constitution. 

Conclusion

Dr. B R Ambedkar makes us all wonder how a man can be so self-actuated to his immense potential, undeterred and ongoing with full of passion and certitude against the immensity of adversities. He envisioned a society where dignity of an individual is not determined by the Caste to which he is born but by the quality of his thoughts and actions. His views were fashioned much ahead of his time and even in the 21st Century, it finds a cardinal space for dialogue in our society, where the undercurrents of casteism and gender inequality still prevail. His core conviction in inducing the moral principles of Justice, Equality and Liberty in Indian Society, makes him an extraordinaire with rare vision in the history of India.